A conventional toilet 10, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a toilet base 12 to which a flushwater tank 14 is fluidly attached. The toilet base 12 is typically formed from a material, such as ceramic or porcelain, which is conducive to being easily cleaned and sanitized. Disposed in the toilet base 12 in front of the tank 14 is a toilet bowl 16 and associated toilet bowl opening 18. As such, during operation of the toilet 10, flushwater is released into the toilet bowl 16 to evacuate liquid and solid waste out of the bowl 16, and through a primary outlet (not shown) located in the bottom of the bowl 16 for delivery to a suitable sewage system.
The upper surface of the toilet base 12 comprises a substantially flat upper deck surface 20, which extends from a front end 22 to a rear end 24 of the toilet base 12. As such, the deck surface 20 surrounds the toilet bowl opening 18. Thus, in conventional toilets, such as toilet 10, the upper deck surface 20 serves as a point of attachment for a toilet seat 30, a toilet lid 32 and for the flushwater tank 14. In particular, the toilet seat and lid 30,32 are pivotably attached by one or more hinges 34 to an intermediate portion 36 of the deck surface 20 that is located between a rear edge 37 of the toilet bowl opening 18 proximate to the rear end 24 of the toilet base 12 and a front surface 39 of the tank 14 that is proximate to the front end 22 of the toilet base 12. As such, the seat 30 and the lid 32 may be selectively pivoted so that they are brought to rest upon the deck surface 20 of the toilet base 12, or may be raised upward away from the toilet bowl opening 18, so as to be positioned proximate or adjacent to the front surface 39 of the tank 14, as shown in FIG. 1, as needed.
However, because the intermediate deck surface 36 is flat, and is adjacent to the rear edge 37 of the toilet bowl opening 18, the intermediate deck surface 36 is subject to the accumulation of liquid waste, or urine, as well as other debris over the course of time as the toilet 10 is used. This causes the toilet 10 to have an unpleasant appearance, as well as taking on an unsanitary condition, which is undesirable. Unfortunately, the intermediate portion 36 that is susceptible to accumulation of waste and debris is obscured by the toilet seat and lid 30,32, as well as by the hinges 34, base 12. This interferes with the ability of individuals charged with cleaning and sanitizing the toilet 10 to easily access the intermediate deck portion 36 of the deck surface 20, as such individuals must undertake the tedious and cumbersome task of navigating around the hinges 34 with a cleaning towel or other cleaning tool.
Because of the difficulty in cleaning around the hinges 34, the intermediate deck portion 36 is typically not cleaned effectively. In addition, because the seat and the lid 30,32 are typically attached directly to the hinges 34, the rear edges 40,42 of the seat and lid 30,32 that are proximate to the rear edge 37 of the bowl opening 18 are placed in close proximity with the intermediate portion 36 of the deck surface 20. The close proximity of the rear edges 40,42 of the seat and lid 30,32 to the intermediate portion 36 also makes it difficult for individuals to insert cleaning tools, such as cleaning towels, in an area 43 that is between the rear edges 40,42 of the seat and the lid 30,32 and the intermediate deck portion 36. Furthermore, because the seat and lid 30,32 are typically rested against the flushwater tank 14 in a substantially vertical position when the toilet 10 is being cleaned, as shown in FIG. 1, only a small amount of room or area is provided between the hinges 34, the front surface 39 of the tank 14, and the top of the lid 32 to accommodate cleaning tools for cleaning the section of the intermediate portion 36 that is between the hinges 34 and between the rear edge 37 of the bowl opening 18 the front surface 39 of tank 14 and the rear edge. Thus, the position of the hinges 34 and the close proximity of the seat and lid 30,32 to the intermediate deck portion 36 in this region creates physical obstacles that prevents the effective cleaning and sanitization of the intermediate deck portion 36 of the flat deck surface 20.
In addition, there is a need for a toilet that has a backsplash that is positioned in the intermediate portion of the deck surface, whereby the backsplash is sloped downward into the toilet bowl opening to allow urine or other liquid captured by the backsplash to drain into the toilet bowl opening. Therefore, there is a need for a toilet that has a seat and lid that each include elongated attachment arms that are positioned outside or beyond the lateralmost edges of an intermediate portion of an upper deck surface of the toilet that is positioned between a rear edge of the toilet bowl opening and a front surface of a flushwater tank, so that the intermediate deck portion is left fully exposed and unobstructed when the toilet seat and lid are raised away from the deck surface for cleaning. Still yet, there is a need for a toilet that has a seat and lid that are pivotably attached to a toilet base, such that toilet seat and lid pivot on an axis that is positioned proximate to a flushwater inlet. There is also a need for a toilet that includes an attachment member that is pivotably attached to a toilet base and that pivots about a substantially vertical axis, such that an accessory, such as a toilet seat and toilet lid attached thereto may be laterally rotated to the side of the toilet to facilitate the cleaning of the toilet base.